Two Best Friends
by Zane's Girl- Jo
Summary: Ela and Dee spend a night discussing what makes a best friend a best friend. Mid-KMG setting. MY 100TH STORY! Deela, mentions of Chenzel and Gelphie. Sorry if it's long.


**Two Best Friends**

**Rifiuto: Non Miriena**

**Summary: Ela and Dee spend a night discussing what makes a best friend a best friend. Mid-KMG setting. MY 100TH STORY! Deela, mentions of Chenzel and Gelphie. Sorry if it's long.**

**A/N: Kena is Kendra's nickname.**

_"And she's my best friend!"_

The fire crackled, and the young woman took a sip of her tea, never taking her eyes off the flames tangoing in the fireplace. After a moment, she looked down at her tea, running her finger along the rim. She was sick, and so rehearsal was out of the question for her tonight, but not for her fiancee. He'd kissed her gently, promising to let their director know that she was sick. Although, he probably already knew, seeing as he'd gotten caught in the crossfire of the snowball fight the cast had gotten into the afternoon the day before in Central Park. They'd all met up at a small diner for dinner, and then had gone to the studio, but not before stopping at Central Park to start a snowball fight, which resulted with the show's leading lady being out sick with a bad cold.

Now, curled up on the sofa in front of the fire, a blanket wrapped around her, she sipped tea and reflected on her stupidity. Not to mention the mere fact that she was drugged up on Tylenol and drunk on Robituson. Sniffling, she grabbed a Kleenex out of the box on the coffee table in front of her and blew her nose, that was bright red from blowing and sniffling. She coughed, covering her mouth with the Kleenex, before attempting to clear her sore throat and taking another sip of tea. Sitting in front of the fire was a much better choice than staying in bed all evening, even though the bed was exceptionally soft and smelled sweetly of her and her fiancee. And even though there was a television in the bedroom (which she kept on either the History Channel, AMC, MSNBC, ABC, USA or TVLand permanently, usually switching between channels because there was so much on that she was so intrigued by; who knew she could develop a love of _Law and Order_ and_ I Dream of Jeanie_ so fast? Not to mention _Bewitched_.), she preferred the warm crackling of the fire to the jingling of Samantha's nose or the growl of Kitty Kat.

It seemed that she'd have the house to herself tonight; with her fiancee at rehearsal, her hosts out for the evening, and their daughter at a sleepover. Just as well. She liked the quietness of a house empty to the noisiness of a house full. It gave her time to reflect on her life and her choices. Sighing, she reached up to brush a strand of onyx hair out of her eyes, catching sight of her diamond engagment ring. She sighed, content. The man that had given it to her, had held her heart from the moment their eyes met. There had been a few bumps along the way, several years apart, and a couple complications, but they'd made it thru and were now happy together, with a wedding only a few weeks away.

As she took another sip of tea, the door opened, and the sound of footsteps broke through her content silence. The door closed, and she sneezed, alerting the person to her presence. Soon, the footsteps entered the living room, and stopped. A light flicked on, and she looked up, looking into warm brown eyes. The woman's long chocolate hair was pulled back in a ponytail, that swung back and forth gently as she moved her head.

"What are you doing sitting in the dark, Ela? I thought you'd be upstairs, resting." The woman said, taking off her coat and tossing it over an armchair along with her purse.

"Didn't want to watch _Bewitched_." She muttered, looking into her tea again, running her finger along the rim again. The older woman furrowed her brow.

"Well, you could have stayed upstairs without turning the TV on." Ela shrugged.

"I don't like absolute silence. It scares me." She muttered softly, ashamed to admit that she feared something. The woman nodded, joining her friend on the sofa.

"Oh. I don't like absolute silence either. It's unnerving." Ela didn't answer, just stared into the fire, before taking a sip of her tea. Silent, the older woman got up, disappearing into the kitchen. She rummaged around for a while. "You need some light in here, Ela. You'll ruin your eyes if you don't." She said, turning on the kitchen light. Ela didn't answer. Soon, the woman returned, plopping down on the sofa next to Ela with a cup of tea in her hands. She watched the younger girl, before finally speaking up. "What are you thinking about?" Ela shrugged.

Moments later, she turned to her and asked,

"Dee? What's a best friend?" The older woman stopped mid-sip, thinking.

"What do you mean, Ela?" The girl sighed.

"I mean....what's a best friend?"

"Well, a...a best friend is someone who....who is better than you average, ordinary friend." Dee said, breaking into a grin, waiting for Ela to do the same. The girl didn't respond like she'd hoped.

"No. I mean...what does a best friend have that a regular friend doesn't? What qualities?"

"Oh. Well....um..." Dee thought a moment. "I...I guess...a best friend is..." Ela turned, facing her, her legs folding into Indian style, as she sipped her tea. Dee shifted to face her, tucking one leg underneath her. "I guess a best friend is someone who....who listens to you when you're having a bad day or just need to talk. A best friend is....someone who will...give you advice on how to handle something like an audition or a wedding. A best friend is--"

"Is someone who will give you fashion advice, no matter how much you don't want it." Ela said, sipping her tea. Dee broke out into laughter, and soon, Ela followed.

"I guess so. A best friend is..." She thought a moment, propping her elbow on the head of the sofa and resting her temple against her knuckles. "someone who will give you whatever she has, even if it's not much, because she always has room to spare." She watched Ela for a moment. It was after sipping her tea, that the girl spoke.

"A best friend is someone who will comfort you when you've found out some shocking or devestating news."

Dee's eyebrows raised briefly, and she nodded.

"A best friend is someone who will sit in front of the fire with you when you have a cold, sip tea, and talk." Ela nodded.

"A best friend is...someone who says 'I love you', even when you don't need to be told." A smile came over Dee's face as she sipped her tea. "Dee?"

"Yeah Ela?"

"Have you ever had a best friend?" The older woman snorted.

"I've had several best friends over the years."

"I haven't." Ela whispered. Dee kept quiet. "Not until I met Glinda, anyway. She was my first and only friend." Gently, Dee took her hand, squeezing.

"One of my...closest best friends was.... Kristin."

"Cheno?" Ela asked; Dee nodded, sipping her tea.

"Yeah. We....we met when we worked in _Wicked_ back in '03, and...at first we...hated each other. Kind of like you and Glinda. But...after a while, as we...continued to work on the show, we....became friends. Best friends. And....when I broke off our friendship in late '04, it....it broke my heart. I....shared things with Kristin that I never shared with anyone. Not even Taye. We...told each other our darkest secrets and our most embarassing moments. We...spent time together that I'll never get back. I've never regretted breaking off a friendship more than breaking off Chen's and mine. I miss her everyday."

Ela looked into her tea, taking a deep breath before speaking.

"I...hated Glinda when I first met her. She was this....selfish, self-absorbed, bubbly....princess who'd had everything she could ever want and I hadn't. Not that I cared, she just...we didn't get along. It....it wasn't until that night at the Ozdust that we officially became best friends, and....by the time I sent her back to Shiz, I....hated myself. And then, I didn't see her- either her or Yero- for _six years. _And when I did see her again, I betrayed her by...by_ stealing her fiancee_. But...but I've loved Yero from the moment I first laid eyes on him...I didn't know that it would hurt her! And when I saw her weeks later, she was....angry at me; which is _entirely understandable_ since I _did_ steal her fiancee, but....using my sister's death as a trap to capture me was just....betrayal! And then...and then after we forgave each other and I faked my death, she caught Yero and I attempting to leave Oz....and soon, we wound up here, with you and Taye and Sky and...and now _Yero and I_ are engaged and....and we're going to get married in a few weeks and probably have a....a _gaggle of kids_ and...."

"A gaggle of kids? Like a gaggle of geese?" Dee chuckled softly. "Ela, you and Yero will settle down and....before you know it..."

"...it'll be time for me to start popping out babies?" Dee nodded, before laughing at her own words. A smile broke out on Ela's face, and she sighed. "...and we'll be spending the rest of our lives working on Broadway, which I _really don't mind_, but...I...I need a best friend." Ela said, pouting. She returned her attention to her tea, thumbing her nail along the rim of her cup as she continued. "I mean....you and Sho and Ede and Steph and Meg and Cheno and Kena are wonderful friends, but you're not best friends. I....I need a best friend. One that....I won't betray."

Gently, Dee reached out, taking her hand and squeezing.

"You have a best friend, Ela." Slowly, the girl looked up.

"I do?" Dee nodded. "Who?"

"Me."

The younger woman started. Then, she shook her head.

"No, Dee. Us? We....we're...we're just two friends."

Gently, Dee took the cup out of Ela's hands, and set it on the table next to her own, before taking Ela's hands in hers.

"Two good friends?" Ela nodded. Dee pursed her lips, and moved until she was knee-to-knee with Ela. "No. You know what I think we are?"

Ela looked up at her.

"What?"

"You _know_ what. You know _exactly_ what comes after that verse." Ela didn't respond. "_Come on, Ela, think_." Dee said, leaning close, her nose inches from the other woman's.

"T..Two best friends?" Ela asked softly, raising her eyebrows. Dee nodded.

"Two best friends." Then, she wrapped Ela in her arms, before gently, kissing her hair.

"Really Dee?" Ela asked, her face buried in Dee's neck and ponytail. Dee nodded.

"I promise."

"Best friends?"

Another nod.

"Two best friends."


End file.
